The King's remarks to Faith Leaders
Published
I am determined, as King, to preserve and promote those principles across all communities, and for all beliefs, with all my heart.
My Lord Archbishop, Dean, Ladies and Gentlemen. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to meet you all, so soon after my Accession, in what are inevitably the saddest of circumstances for me and my Family. I have been touched by your kind words of condolence more than I can possibly say. They mean a great deal to me.
I also wanted, before all of you today, to confirm my determination to carry out my responsibilities as Sovereign of all communities around this country and the Commonwealth and in a way which reflects the world in which we now live.
I am a committed Anglican Christian, and at my Coronation I will take an oath relating to the settlement of the Church of England. At my Accession, I have already solemnly given– as has every Sovereign over the last 300 years – an Oath which pledges to maintain and preserve the Protestant faith in Scotland.
I have always thought of Britain as a ‘community of communities.’ That has led me to understand that the Sovereign has an additional duty – less formally recognized but to be no less diligently discharged. It is the duty to protect the diversity of our country, including by protecting the space for Faith itself and its practise through the religions, cultures, traditions and beliefs to which our hearts and minds direct us as individuals. This diversity is not just enshrined in the laws of our country, it is enjoined by my own faith. As a member of the Church of England, my Christian beliefs have love at their very heart. By my most profound convictions, therefore – as well as by my position as Sovereign – I hold myself bound to respect those who follow other spiritual paths, as well as those who seek to live their lives in accordance with secular ideals.
The beliefs that flourish in, and contribute to, our richly diverse society differ. They, and our society, can only thrive through a clear collective commitment to those vital principles of freedom of conscience, generosity of spirit and care for others which are, to me, the essence of our nationhood. I am determined, as King, to preserve and promote those principles across all communities, and for all beliefs, with all my heart.
This conviction was the foundation of everything my beloved mother did for our country, over her years as our Queen. It has been the foundation of my own work as Prince of Wales. It will continue to be the foundation of all my work as King.
Related content
Remarks made by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex at the Youth Employment Services, Johannesburg
There’s so much ingenuity here, there’s so much promise here, that given the right level of support and resources that you need, the potential is astronomical, and you can see...
A speech delivered by The Duke of Sussex at the Youth Employment Services, Johannesburg
In my role as The Queen’s Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, I am so incredibly fortunate to meet young people who are determined to make a real difference and make their mark on...
The Queen has sent the following message to The President of France
A speech delivered by The Duke of Sussex at The Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy Dedication in Malawi
As The Queen’s Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, I am particularly proud of how this programme will create a physical legacy of Her Majesty’s leadership of the Commonwealth - not...
A speech by The Duke of Sussex at the visit to The Princess Diana Orthopaedic Centre, Huambo, Angola
I am humbled and honoured that my mother’s work and commitment to demining continues to inspire and that her legacy is being recognised and celebrated today with the naming of...
A speech delivered by The Duke of Sussex at a HALO Trust minefield, Dirico, Angola
Landmines are an unhealed scar of war. By clearing the landmines, we can help this community find peace, and with peace comes opportunity.
A speech by The Duke of Cambridge at the naming ceremony for the RRS Sir David Attenborough
The RRS Sir David Attenborough is a testament to the cutting-edge science and engineering expertise right here on Merseyside.
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester reopen The Princess Alice Garden
Princess Beatrice of York and Mr. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi engaged to be married
A speech delivered by The Duchess of Sussex at the visit to The Justice Desk, Nyanga Township, South Africa
You have welcomed us into this community, have been open and honest with us, both about the dangers women and children face, and about how you are addressing them.
A speech by The Duke of Sussex at a visit to the Justice Desk, Cape Town, South Africa
We are so incredibly grateful to be able to listen and learn from you about the issues that define your daily lives in these communities. And that’s what this is, a community.
The Prince of Wales attends commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem
21 September 2019The Duchess of Cambridge visits Sunshine House to meet the Family Nurse Partnership team
19 September 2019A speech by The Countess of Wessex at the Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting, in Nairobi, Kenya
Gender equality is a fundamental right but it is not yet the reality for many
The Earl of Wessex visits Malaysia and Australia with The Duke of Edinburgh International Award
A speech by The Duke of Cambridge at the opening of BAFTA Piccadilly
BAFTA is an excellent British institution, and a unique charity with a truly global reach.
A speech delivered by The Duchess of Sussex at the launch of the Smart Works capsule collection in London
As women, it is one hundred percent our responsibility, I think, to support and uplift each other
The Duchess of Sussex launches the Smart Set Capsule Collection for Smart Works
12 September 2019A speech by The Duke of Sussex at the Invictus Games Foundation 5th anniversary event
I think for me this has always been about the competitors and their families. What they represent, the strength and determination, the grit, every part of it.
A speech by The Duchess of Cambridge at the ‘Back to Nature’ festival at RHS Wisley Garden
The Back to Nature Festival is a fitting finale to a project I have been thrilled to be part of.
The Duke of Sussex's speech at the launch of Travalyst in Amsterdam
We have the opportunity to address this tourism paradox and turn one of the world’s biggest problems into one of its greatest solutions